2027 Best Value Urban & Regional Planning Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Urban & Regional Planning](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/urban-and-regional-planning/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong urban & regional planning education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for urban & regional planning students.
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2027 Best Value Urban & Regional Planning Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in urban & regional planning, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Urban & Regional Planning Schools
Wayne State University earned the #1 spot for value among urban & regional planning schools in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,159, compared with $34,650 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for urban & regional planning graduates is $26,689. Urban & Regional Planning graduates of Wayne State University earn a median of $64,788 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,689 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Students looking for strong value in urban & regional planning will find it at University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Milwaukee, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,398 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,398. Typical student debt for urban & regional planning graduates is $26,000. Early-career urban & regional planning graduates make about $35,960. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ohio State University Main Campus earned it the #3 place for urban & regional planning. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,244, while out-of-state students pay about $40,022. Students borrow a median of $25,250 to complete the urban & regional planning program here. Soon after graduation, urban & regional planning degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $47,305. That is a strong return on a $25,250 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Madison is a great value for students pursuing a degree in urban & regional planning, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,603, with out-of-state students paying around $42,103. Urban & Regional Planning graduates carry a median of $21,813 in student loans. Soon after graduation, urban & regional planning degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $59,877. That is a strong return on a $21,813 median debt. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value urban & regional planning schools. Set in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,363, while out-of-state students pay about $28,697. Students borrow a median of $25,464 to complete the urban & regional planning program here. Early-career urban & regional planning graduates make about $46,122. That is a strong return on a $25,464 median debt. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
Miami University Oxford earned the #6 position for value in urban & regional planning this year. Set in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,519, with out-of-state students paying around $38,965. Students borrow a median of $25,237 to complete the urban & regional planning program here. Urban & Regional Planning graduates of Miami University Oxford earn a median of $40,721 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Miami University Oxford admits about 75% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.